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The Third Estate
On January 10, 1789, the Abbe Sieyes wrote a pamphlet called "What is the Third Estate?". In it, he nit-picked at nobility and stated that the third estate was the most powerful and important estate. His words became a famous and popular battle cry of the Bourgeoisie. This inspired the citizens of France to rebel against the country's government. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The third estate was locked out of its meeting room as preparations were being made for a royal meeting of the three estates. Angry and confused, the delegates met on an indoor tennis court on the palace grounds instead.They signed an oath to not separate until they had written a new, fair constitution for France. -
The Storming of the Bastille
The Paris mob was eager to arm themselves, due to the arrival of foreign troops in the city. First, they attacked the Invalides fortress, from which they took over 30,000 muskets. They then moved on to the Bastille, an old fortress prison that had been viewed for a long while as a symbol of the kng's absolute rule. The mob attacked the Bastille and released seven prisoners that were inside. -
The Great Fear
Once revolutionary spirit infected Paris, people began to demand cheaper bread and suspension of slave dues. Many peasants attacked rich homes, and civil unrest grew in the countryside. Patrician property was destroyed by peasants. The frenzy spread across the country from July 20 to August 5, 1789, but was eventually put down by militias who enforced law and order. -
Women's March
As the rumors of Louis XVI's offensive court party spread through Paris, it was also said that Louis XVI had stepped on France's national flag. Women lead a march to Versailles demanding bread, and the mob forces the royal family to return with them to Paris. Louis XVI signs the Declaration of the Rights of Man. -
The Royal Runaways
Convinced by the edginess in Paris, Queen Marie Antoinette decided that the family must flee. Assisted by a loyal friend, Count Axel Von Ferson, the family escaped. They were noticed in Varennes and were taken back to Paris as prisoners. -
Champ de Mars Massacres
A man named Jacques Pierre Brissot wrote a petition demanding the removal of the king.A large crowd gathered at the Champ de Mars to sign it.The Marquis de Lafayette and the National Guard tried to keep order, and were successful at resuming peace, but an even larger crowd returned that afternoon, more determined than the first.After appearing to be a threat, the National Guard fired a few warning shots.After failure, they began killing in urgency -
The Execution of Louis XVI
Louis XVI was convicted of treachery with foreign powers so, he was sentenced to death by the French National Convention, King Louis XVI was executed by the guillotine in the Place de la Revolution in Paris. Nine months later, Marie Antoinette was convicted of treason by a tribunal, and on October 16 she followed her husband to the guillotine. -
The Death of Robespierre
Robespierre was abandoned by his followers and accused of being a autocrat. After wanting to extend to emergency powers as well, others felt that the emergencies were over and wanted to go back to regular governing. Robespierre was arrested on July 27 and beheaded the next day. -
The Young General
French armies, especially those led by young general Napoleon Bonaparte, were making progress in nearly every direction. Napoleon’s forces drove through Italy and reached as far as Egypt before facing a horrible defeat. After being defeated Napoleon returned to Paris. , eventually stepping up and naming himself “first consul”—effectively,the leader of France. With Napoleon at the helm, the Revolution ended, and France entered a fifteen-year period of military rule.
